Zootopia: Divided
by N'yrthghar
Summary: Sequel to 'A New Face in Town'. Nick and Judy managed to take down the leader of a criminal organization planning to use night howlers to gain control of Zootopia, but the city is still far from safe. They'll have to overcome new challenges and put their faith in each other to the test, or else risk losing the city - and each other.
1. Sent Away

Judy stared out of the train window, watching the streets of Zootopia race by. From the heated plains of Sahara Square, to the frozen wastes of Tundratown, and the rain-soaked jungles of the Rainforest District, they flew by in little more than a blur as she milled over the plethora of thoughts cluttering her head.

Perhaps the most important of which was how she would explain to her parents why she, as well as her partner, would be unexpectedly visiting Bunnyburrow. They knew she was coming, of course, and that her partner was with her, but that was all Judy had managed to tell her mother before a series of crashes had drawn both parents away from the phone. The distraction was both timely and untimely, giving Judy a chance to think over the conversation she would inevitably have with her parents after they found out she intended to bring a _fox_ into their home.

Speaking of said fox, Judy looked to her right, pursing her lips as she looked over Nick. He was wearing an outfit similar to when she had first met him – khaki pants, a yellow-green floral print shirt, and loose blue and purple striped tie. He was fidgeting in his seat, eyes fixated on the glass ahead of them rather than anything outside. It bothered Judy to see such uncharacteristic nervousness from the fox; you would imagine that years of being a conmammal would find ways to remove any semblence of the feeling.

"Hey, Nick?" She said, reaching out and gently setting her paw on the fox's left arm. It took a small shake from her for the fox to take notice, shaking his head before looking down at her, attempting to throw on his most casual expression.

"Yeah?"

"Relax," Judy said, offering Nick a reasurring smile. "This trip will be fine."

"Relax? I am relaxed, Carrots," Nick replied, rolling his eyes slightly. "I'm the embodiment of relaxed. I am-"

"Rambling to buy time," Judy interrupted, giving a small laugh. Nick dipped his head, reluctantly admitting to it. "I'm serious, everything is going to be fine. We're only visiting long enough to recover, and Bogo says this puts us well away from the city so we can relax. Which is what we're supposed to be doing. So you," she paused, lightly punching Nick's shoulder. "Need to work on that."

Nick sighed. "You're right, we should relax. Except for the part where I'm going to be fox tazed the moment your dad sees me. Or the way your siblings will all start rumors of how I'm going to eat you. Or that I secretly have six arms and am a demon come to eat the kits in the middle of the night. Or-"

"Nick, you're being ridiculous," Judy sighed. "No one will taze you, and no one's going to think you're going to eat them."

"And you're sure about it?" Nick asked.

"Sure as anything," Judy confirmed with a nod. "Besides, I'm sure they'll love you."

"Ha. Yeah..." Nick let his voice trail off as he returned his gaze to the window across from them. Judy wasn't entirely convinced that she had gotten Nick to stop worrying, but he seemed visibly more relaxed than before. Judy couldn't blame him for being tense, though, between everything that had happened in the past few weeks, and was still happening.

This was the next thing her mind turned to: what had led up to this train ride. Months ago, she and Nick had been assigned a seemingly simple case, that of an unidentified vigilante. It would later turn out that this fox vigilante was trying to prevent large amounts of Night Howlers from falling into the grasp of a group they called Phraxus. Through a long series of events, she and Nick had teamed up with the vigilante to put a stop to Phraxus – freeing hostages, recalling Night Howlers, performing late night 'raids' and 'missions' to retrieve information on who made up Phraxus. In the end, it was worth it – they had met up with a contact of the vigilante's, who had been pulling as much information on Phraxus as they could, and gave the information to the ZPD. The ZPD, in turn, gave the information to both the ZIA and ZBI, who searched through it and validated everything.

As it turns out, Phraxus had been operating for some time, but not always in Zootopia. And the leader of the entire group was none other than one Viggo Capeli, an abnormally large arctic fox and former CEO of the technology company Brightwater Industries. The same company that was being used as a basis for Phraxus and had its former CEO - who had faked his death in order to secretly monitor Phraxus - Arctic Brightwater, gathering information. Arctic was the vigilante's contact who had pulled the information leading to the Phraxus' downfall.

And to add to the confusion, the vigilante was Nick's cousin, Robin Wick. A duster-toting red fox with an unclear history and affinity for combat.

Judy shook her head, trying to regain her focus. It was clear to her, looking back on things, that they easily and quickly got very muddled and confusing if she wasn't careful. The reason she and Nick were being sent away was to recover from a car accident. She and Nick, along with a few other officers, had been sent to apprehend Viggo Capeli and transport him to a rather sudden court hearing for a trial of various crimes he had done under the name of 'Fangs', leader of Phraxus. Unfortunately, their cruiser had been hit by a stolen SWAT vehicle and both officers rendered unconcious. While they were out, Capeli had somehow made it to the home of Robin, where he had beaten the vigilante before shooting him. Robin managed to shoot Capeli as well, however. As the arctic fox had died mere seconds after his wound, Robin had been shot in a way as to begin bleeding out over a lengthy period of time.

When Judy came to, she was in a hospital and being bandaged for her injuries from the crash. Nick was still being treated, and it didn't take long for them to learn of his cousin's current state. He was then, and still currently, in bad shape – the reynard had nearly bled out before he was given medical treatment. And on top of that, there was a lack of blood to give him, so Nick had to donate shortly after he had awoken.

Unfortunately, during their stay in the hospital, there was an attack on the Tunradown branch of the University of Zootopia had been attacked. Judy hadn't been told many of the details, but she knew exactly who had done the attack: Phraxus. They had sent someone into the building to add a unique Nighthowler-based gas through the air ducts.

The result, as one could've imagined, was disastrous. By the time the ZPD and medical personell reached the building, over a dozen mammals were in critical condition or injured, or savage, or both. Thankfully, there were no fatalities, but it frightened Judy to see how quickly things had escalated. One minute the University was going about its day normally, and the next, it was chaos.

The rabbit shook her head, choosing not to dwell on the negativity of the situation. It had been contained and taken care of, and that was what mattered right now. Instead, she moved on to the next event leading up to this train ride.

The day after she and Nick had recovered enough to leave the hospital (really, it was only one day), Chief Bogo had given them very clear orders: Take care of the paperwork on their desk, then take a temporary leave. After what the duo had gone through, and the multitude of injuries they sustained, the Chief wanted them sent away and out of his tail while he took care of the new situations coming up. And while he admitted he didn't enjoy the idea of removing two of his best officers from the field, he also explained to them about how he knew they would only get into even more trouble if he let them stay. And, in his exact words, he "can't afford enough scotch to deal with that" – to which Nick replied: "I'm sure you could find a way, boss."

The Chief sighed heavily and just pointed to the door, growling "Paperwork. Then leave."

And that was exactly what they did. While they were working on the literal mountain of paperwork (Well, not exactly a mountain, more of a hill), they were given papers signed by the Chief explaining how he wanted them out of the Precinct for at least two weeks – the majority of which was so they could use some of their days off from last year.

Two days later, the paperwork was done, and they were on an outgoing train to Bunnyburrow. It had taken some time for Judy to convince Nick to come along, but he relented when Judy gave him her cutest pleading look. That wasn't to say he didn't complain, however. The fox had grumbled indignantly about how Judy cheated to get him to come along, but he had stopped complaining once they met on the platform, and instead became nervous and agitated as they got onto the train.

Judy knew it was because he was going to meet her family. A short time after Nick had joined the force with her, she had explained how her overprotective dad had been the one to give her the fox repellant, and laughed at mentioning how he had also tried giving her a fox taser and other anti-fox items. Nick wasn't so amused by the thought.

The bunny leaned back and pressed her head against the window behind her, feeling the vibrations of the train runnin through her. It was somewhat comforting, the simple feeling. It reminded her of when she was little, how the large tractors felt when she sat in her fathers lap. She fell asleep more often than not on those trips, and it seemed like this would be no exception as she let out a yawn. She could feel Nick chuckle beside her, but he didn't comment on it.

A few minutes later, and she was snoring softly, tipping over and resting her head against Nick's arm. The fox smiled softly and, being careful about his movements, lifted his arm and put it around Judy. It was a great comfort to him, just knowing that she was there. She gave him hope that this trip wouldn't be a disaster.

A few more minutes later, and the fox was also asleep, head titled back as he let out slightly louder snores, but a smile on his face.

~ óÓÒò ~

 **So here it is, finally! The start of the story that I wanted to first write, but felt needed a prequel, and underwent some major changes.  
** **These chapters are likely to be shorter than those in ANFiT, at least for the time being, and it's going to take a while to get back into the thick of things. I think these two deserve a little R &R, don't you?**


	2. Arrival: Bunnyburrow

Judy looked around with blurry vision, trying to keep her eyes open as something shook her. With a massive yawn, she bat at the thing that had woken her and put her head back down, trying to go back to sleep. A familiar chuckle reached her ears and she lifted one up, hearing Nick quietly say "Time to wake up, Carrots."

The bunny cracked an eye open and looked up at the fox. He smiled down at her, and she gave a tiny smirk as she shook her head slightly and buried her face into his side, which she had apparently been using as a pillow. "Five more minutes," she mumbled.

Her head vibrated a bit as Nick gave a soft chuckle. "Are you sure you want your family to see you like this?" he asked. "It might give them the wrong impression."

"Knowing my family, they'll get the wrong impression anyways," Judy sighed, sitting up. She let out a massive yawn as she stretched her arms up and over her head, shaking her head to wake better. "But that's what they do. With so many family members, it's to be expected."

"Right," Nick muttered. "How many siblings did you say you had, again?"

"At least two-hundred and seventy-five." Judy bounced up and out of her seat, now wide awake, turning to look at Nick. She smiled at him and his skeptical expression. "And that's only my immediate family. Counting nieces and nephews, it's probably closer to five-hundred."

And, when Nick looked even more skeptical, Judy just rolled her eyes, glancing to the doors as the train began to slow down. "Alright, Slick, grab your bags." She walked over to Nick and reached under their seats, opening a small compartment and taking out her suitcase. It was incredibly light as, even after so long in the city, she had very little she called her own. Nick drew out a duffel bag from his compartment, a worn black one that had been fading due to age. He slung it over his back and tightened it like a backpack, before swiping Judy's suitcase from her. She snapped her head up at him and wordlessly tried to reach around him for it. Nick swapped it to his other paw and held it away from her. "Nick! I can carry my own bag!"

"I know," Nick said calmly, smirking down at Judy.

"So give it back!" She hissed, trying to reach around him.

"But Carrots, what kind of gentlemammal would I be if I let you carry your own bag?" Nick asked, adding a false hurt to his voice. Judy sighed and took a step back, sighing as Nick gave a triumphant smile. "Besides, I'm sure you'll need both arms for hugs when we get off the train."

"Alright, you win this one, Nick." Judy shook her head with a smile, moving to the stand by the doors. Since it was the middle of the week and only mid-afternoon, there were few other mammals on the train with them. Only a few families could be seen on the platform outside, but Judy grinned when she saw one of her brothers standing on the platform outside. The moment the doors opened, Judy raced out of the train towards him, the other bunny opening his arms and meeting her halfway to give her a tight hug.

"Marcus! I haven't seen you since I left for Zootopia, where were you when I visited last?" Judy spoke after they broke the hug, each rabbit taking a step back. Her brother was taller than she was by a few inches, his gray fur and white muzzle being very similar to hers, though his eyes were a pale blue, and he was wearing a plain brown t-shirt and jeans.

"I was at school," he chuckled. "But I'm home now to help with the harvest. The crops weren't ready until later this year. So, hey, you get to help too!"

"I was told to relax, not to work in the fields," Judy laughed. "But I'll be more than happy to help, and I'm sure Nick would be, too." Judy turned to see Nick walking over to them, her suitcase in his off-paw. He held his usual lazy-eyed smirk as he stepped up beside her. He and Marcus stared at one another for a few short seconds, each one examining the other, before the rabbit put out his paw.

"So you must be Nick," he said, adding a smile as Nick reached out and shook his paw. "I'm Marcus, one of Judy's brothers."

"Nick Wilde," the fox confirmed with a nod. "I haven't learned the names of all her siblings yet, but I think I've heard of you before."

"Hey, if you manage to learn even half of our names, that's an achievement," the rabbit chuckled. "I assume you two are pretty tired from your train ride, so let's get you to the farm. Dad let me take the truck out here to pick you guys up." Marcus made a 'follow me' gesture as he turned and started walking towards the end of the platform, towards the parking lot.

"That reminds me," Judy started, following after him with Nick at her side. "Where is everyone else?"

"They're... At home. Harvesting." Marcus replied slowly, glancing back. Judy saw a smile that said he was lying, but she didn't pry further. While they walked, Marcus began to fill Judy in on what had been going on at home – several siblings had had their first litters, and a good portion of her brothers and sister her age had moved out, giving them slightly more space. Some were back and visiting from college or their jobs, partly to see family and partly to help with the harvest. Their parents were looking into expanding their business within the city, as was Gideon Grey. Her oldest siblings had all been married now, making her the oldest single rabbit in the family.

Judy and Nick listened and gave responses when it was appropriate, waiting until they were piled up in a familiar old blue truck before they asked their own questions. Nick as mostly curious about Judy's family in general, though he did ask Marcus questions about himself (What he was going to college for, how long he'd been in college, if he'd been to the city). After a while, about midway through the drive, they all grew quiet, having run out of basic topics to go through. Marcus didn't seem the most interested in the details of what she and Nick had worked on, so that cut out a good portion of Judy's conversation points.

Just when the silence was becoming awkward, Marcus spoke again. "You know, Mom and Dad are really excited to see you again. And they're happy that they'll finally get to meet your partner."

Judy gave a slightly nervous laugh. "They are? I mean, I figured they'd be excited to see us, but... I may have accidentally left out an important detail..."

Marcus slowed the truck down, turning to look at Judy with wide eyes. "Jude, did you not tell them Nick was a fox?"

"I never felt comfortable telling them over the phone, and when I was going to finally tell them they had to go!" Judy said. "They won't be upset when they find out, right?"

"Jude, you know how they are," Marcus warned. "They might be partners with Gideon, but it hasn't extended beyond that. He's been over for dinner only a few times, and those were brief and tense."

Judy felt a flicker of dread within her. She had thought and hoped that her family would be well beyond such distant acceptance of foxes, and predators in general. But if they weren't as far along as she had expected, maybe this trip wouldn't go as well as she wanted...

Judy leaned back to hit her head against the headrest of the seat with a groan. Nick poked his head up from the back seat, and Judy nearly bumped into his muzzle when she turned to look at him. "What was that about relaxing, Carrots?" he asked, the hints of a smirk evident on his face.

All Judy could do was let out a heavy sigh.


	3. Fox, Meet Parents

The closer they came to the farm, the more dread seemed to trickle into Judy. Her mind, as usual, was going through all the negative possibilities of her parents meeting Nick. She had been entirely optimistic up until this point. And while Marcus was giving her constant reasurrance that it would be alright, and Nick reminding her that he could _probably_ talk her parents out of tasing him, she didn't feel much better.

When the family farm finally came into view, she gave a smile at the sight of home. A more comforting sensation came over her, as opposed to the anxiety of before. She watched with a growing smile as more and more of the home came into view: a glorious barn-shaped, three-story building that was partially buried into a hill. A few smaller buildings that look like shacks were visible at odd angles all around the hill. Several chimneys could be seen jutting out from various points in the building, and almost a dozen AC units were positioned around the house. On three of its four sides were fields of various crops, from wheat to corn to potatoes. And much to her delight, she could see the movement of dozens of bunnies out in the fields, pulling up weeds and gathering crops that were ready to harvest. Her mother and father, however, were patiently waiting on the porch and talking with one another.

Judy didn't even wait for Marcus to stop the truck before she jumped out and made a full-on sprint towards them. Both parents turned and, upon seeing her racing towards them, opened their arms for a hug. She nearly tackled them when she got reached them, throwing her arms around them and tugging them close for a warm hug which they more than happily returned. "I missed you guys!" She exclaimed.

"We missed you too, Bun-Bun," her mother said. Judy flicked an ear up as she heard approaching footsteps, accompanied by the subtle snicker of Nick. A fresh wave of dread overtook her relief as she began to loosen the embrace, slowly turning around to see Nick and Marcus approaching. Her parents tensed, though her father moreso, as they saw the newcomer. Marcus glanced between Nick and his parents, before shooting Judy a look that said 'good luck' and excusing himself to the fields.

There was a tense silence, Nick suddenly looking a bit uncomfortable as Marcus left him alone. Stu muttered something very quietly to Judy, clearly not wanting Nick to overhear, but from the small flick of his ear it was evident he had picked up on it. "Honey, why is there a fox on our porch?"

Judy took in a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for this in case it had an outcome she feared. Stepping away from her parents and turning around to step besides Nick, she gave them a warm and reasurring smile. "Mom, Dad, this is Nick. He's my partner from the ZPD."

Stu and Bonnie both gave slow nods, glancing to one another, before letting an uncomfortable silence settle. Nick was clearly nervous, eyes darting from Judy, to her parents, and back to Judy. Her mother finally broke the silence, holding her paws in front of her. "Judy, this is a little unexpected. I mean, you've told us a lot about Nick, but you never once mentioned he was a fox."

Her tone was soft, but there was a slightly accusatory naunce to it. Judy let her ears droop to fall behind her back as Nick shifted uncomfortably beside her. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Jude, this just... Catches us a little off-guard is all," her father added.

"I wanted to tell you two a long time ago, I really did." Judy started before either parent could resume. "But whenever I did I got really nervous because of how everyone around here treats foxes, and whenever I _was_ going to tell you something interrupted us. But if you guys don't want Nick to stay here, that's fine, we can find another place to stay, or-"

"Woah, woah, woah, Jude, calm down!" her father interrupted, putting his paws out as if it would stop her. "We're just concerned because we don't have any beds big enough for him."

It took a moment for this to register in Judy's head. "What?"

"Come on, Judy, give your parents a _little_ credit," Bonnie said with a small chuckle. "With everything you've told us about Nick, we wouldn't turn him away just because he's a fox. You know we're partnered with Gideon and have him over for dinner every week, right?"

Judy looked stunned as she looked at her parents. "N-No? Marcus said that you two hardly ever had Gideon over, and that was always tense."

Stu let out a sudden laugh. "Marcus hasn't been here for almost a year, hun. We _used_ to have him over rarely, but now he's practically family to us. And the kits love helping him bake. And you know, it never would've happened if you hadn't opened our eyes."

"Mhm," her mother added with a nod. "You know, Gid's thinking about trying to take his business into the city, and we just might join him."

Judy and Nick both looked at Stu and Bonnie, Judy with a dumbfounded expression and Nick with a curious and relieved one. "So, wait, you guys _aren't_ upset about Nick being a fox?" Judy asked.

"Not at all," her mother said, smiling warmly. "As a matter of fact, we suspected it, or at least some other kind of predator, from how you talked."

"Now, it's not like we're detectives, but we know when one of our kits are hiding something." Stu gave a quiet laugh. "You don't get this far along as a parent without learning more than a few tricks."

Judy let out a sigh of relief, turning to Nick with a grin. "See, I told you it'd be just fine," she said, adding a light punch to the fox's arm as she bounced back between him and her parents. Nick let out an unamused chuckle and shook his head.

"Correction, you said and I quote, 'they'd love me'. And while I know it's hard to believe, but not _everyone_ falls for me at first sight." Nick offered a grin as Judy stopped her excited bouncing, instead turning to look at him with a somewhat worried expression. There was a flicker of alarm in the fox's green eyes, before it was quickly washed away and replaced with a casual and inviting look. "I'm _kidding_." Then, almost under his breath, "Seriously, lighten up a little, Fluff."

With that, Nick took another step forward and stuck out his free paw to her parents. "Nick Wilde. Judy's told me a lot about you two, all good." He grinned at both rabbits as they shook his paw.

"I'm Stu, this is my wife Bonnie. Jude's told us a lot about you, too." Stu said.

"Mhm. Except for one _little_ detail," Bonnie teased, casting a look of false disappointment at Judy.

Nick let out a relaxed laugh, looking over at her. "I gotta say, I don't know how you two put up with her for so long."

"That's a family secret," Bonnie said, giving a wink. "It's useful when you have so many little ones running around. Speaking of which, Judy, I think there's a few kits who would like to see you."

"Oh, yuh-huh," Stu said, nodding excitedly and turning to the door. "Can't keep them waiting much longer, they've been more excitable than usual since they heard you were coming by."

Judy braced herself for the moment the door opened, as a tidal wave of small bunnies pushed their way through the door. Screaming and shouting with joy, they quickly tackled Judy and dragged her to the ground, where she was quickly smothered with hugs as the kits tried to hug her all at once. Judy laughed the whole time, hugging back and greeting every kit she could, trying to answer the barrage of questions and statements they were giving her.

"Are you staying with us for good this time?"

"Did you get to fight a bear?"

"Aunt Judy, I lost another tooth!"

"You've lost _all_ your teeth, James!"

"So?"

"Are you married yet?" That one made her ears burn.

"Where's your partner?"

Judy would've drowned in the questions had her parents not stepped in. "Alright, alright, give her some breathing room," Bonnie said, fanning kits off of her. "She can't answer all of you at once."

Judy began to catch her breath as she sat up, looking around her at the mass of kits. She recognized them all and gave each a little comment ("Zack, you've grown _more_? James, I heard you got your big boy teeth! Stella, you've been practicing with your flute, right?"), before standing up and dusting herself off. Her ears turned to Nick as she heard him trying his best to stifle his laughter, and before long, everyone on the porch had turned to him.

Nick suddenly look uneasy again, ears folding against his head as he took a step back. One of the kits piped up, "Who's that?"

"That's my partner, Nick," Judy said. "And you know what he loves? He just _loves_ hugs. You should all go give him a hug!"

Nick shot Judy a look of betrayal, taking another step back just as the kits all bounded and ran towards him, shouting and screaming to tackle him and "give him all of the hugs!" as one kit had put it. Judy could've sworn that he said "Help" just as the group hit him, but then, it was hard to hear over her own laughter.


	4. Memories

"I still can't believe you just abandoned me like that, Carrots," Nick grumbled, rubbing his back.

"Oh come on, Nick," Judy giggled, remembering the expression on Nick's face as he surfaced from the pile of kits, only to be tugged back down. "There was nothing I could've done, anyways."

"You could've done what your mother did," Nick argued, glancing down at Judy. She just smirked and set her paws on her hips.

"But where's the fun in that?" Judy asked. Nick gave her an expression of mock hurt.

"So you'd abandon me to that mob?" Nick looked away in mock pain. "I thought you cared about me!"

"I care about your _tail_ ," Judy responded, giggling again. Said fluffy appendage found its way around to Judy's front, where it tickled her nose briefly before dipping back behind its owner. Judy let out a small squeak of a sneeze, covering her nose and turning to Nick as he stopped and stared at her. 

"Judy, did you just sneeze?" he asked.

Judy gave a slow nod, saying "Yeah, why?" through her paws. Nick's muzzle turned into a grin as he chuckled and leaned down to her, eyes full of surprise and something akin to excitement.

"That was, without a doubt, the single-"

"Don't say it, Nick!" Judy hissed, glaring at him.

" _-Cutest_ thing I have ever heard!" he finished, grinning wider at her look of irritation. She balled up her paws into fists and gave him the most stern look she could muster, slightly tempted to hit his shoulder like she used to. But she sighed and stepped away, unable to help but smile at the enjoyment Nick clearly got out of her reactions.

"You get a pass this time, Slick, but don't let any other bunnies hear you say that. Okay?"

"You have my word," Nick nodded, standing up and smiling. Then, with a two-finger salute, he added: "Fox's honor."

"I assume that's supposed to amount to something?" Judy asked jokingly. Nick looked taken aback, and she immediately felt her ears falling to her back. The look on the fox's face was one of hurt, not mock hurt as he usually gave her. Had she done something wrong? A pinprick of panic set in as she began to flounder around for an apology. "Nick, I-"

His face immediately melted away into his usual smirk, and in that instant Judy felt like a fool for so quickly falling for one of Nick's better acting moments. "Am a dumb bunny," he finished. "Gotcha, Carrots. Now come on, you're supposed to be showing me around the house."

Judy sighed and shook her head, before turning back to the hallway before them and rolling her eyes. "You're insufferable," She muttered, walking further down towards her room.

"But you know you love me," Nick replied, his growing smirk visible even through his voice.

"Are you sure about that?" Judy asked, glancing over her shoulder to see if Nick's smirk dropped.

"Absolutely, one-hundred percent." Nick replied, smirk growing even more.

Judy laughed and stopped at her door, pushing it open and observing her small room. It was, for the most part, just as she had left it: ZPD posters adorning the walls, police blue wallpaper, a bookshelf filled with crime novels and books she used to study for the Academy. Her bed sat in a corner, the blue comforter dotted with carrots having been freshly washed and replaced. Her mound of white pillows were similarly cared for, it was hard to tell beyond the massive pile of stuffed bunnies that sat on her bed. They were all facing the door, as if having been waiting for her return.

It surprised Judy to see next to no dust on anything – someone had clearly come in and cleaned her room for her. Her books were organized alphabetically by author, as she had left them, and her desk was free of papers and other clutter, unlike how she had left it. Instead, all that adorned it was a small set of family pictures. She walked over and picked up the nearest one, a picture of her and her parents at a Carrot Days festival the year before she went to the Zootopia Police Academy. She smiled fondly as the memory of that day played back in her mind, before setting it down and turning around.

Nick was standing in her doorway, looking inside but never stepping over the threshold. He held a quiet curiousity about him as he patiently waited in silence and took in her room. When Judy finished reminescing in her own silence, she gesture for him to come in. Nick ducked his head as he entered, looking around once again. "You really were into crime as a kid," he mused, staring at her bookshelf.

Judy let out a small, almost embarrassed laugh as she walked over to it, picking out a Sherlock Hound book. "I told you," she said, opening the book to a random page and briefly skimming over it. "Ever since I was little, it's all I wanted to do." She shut the book and slid it back into its place, turning back to Nick.

"I can tell. You've got this room to yourself? Could no other bunny stand your little obsession?"

Judy shook her head and grinned. "Nope. When they built this house, they made a mistake with the design for a room and it ended up smaller than the rest. It's big enough for two bunnies, but when no one else wanted to claim it, I did." She turned around and spread her arms out, gesturing to the room. "And I didn't mind it at all; I actually preferred the isolation. It made it easier to study."

"But aren't bunnies supposed to be super social?" Nick asked, walking up beside her.

"Normally, yes." Judy looked up at the fox, bumping against him. "But when have I ever been a normal bunny?"

"Never," Nick chuckled. He walked over to the single window of her room, peering outside to see the fields where a good number of bunnies were still hard at work, despite the sun beginning to near the horizon. Judy noticed his tail start to sway slightly, and joined him to see what he was looking at. Of course, he was staring right at the blueberry bushes in the distance. They were easily identified by the small patches of blue against green, but Judy knew that it was too late in the year for them to be any good.

"I see you've spotted the blueberry bushes," she said.

"And soon they'll just be bushes," Nick said, licking his lips.

Judy giggled slightly, stepping back. "Hate to tell you this, Nick, but the good blueberries were harvested a month ago. Those are probably all bad."

"Judy, please, there's on such thing as a 'bad blueberry'." Nick turned around and stared down at her, glancing back to the bushes every few seconds as if they could disappear.

"I beg to differ," Judy stated. "You're bad sometimes."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "You're calling me a blueberry now?" He asked.

"Since you keep calling me Carrots, then yes," Judy responded with a nod and a smile. "Besides, you've eaten so many of them I'm surprised your fur is still red and not blue."

Nick rolled his eyes, walking over and setting her suitcase on the bed. "Well in that case, why aren't you orange?" he asked.

"Because my diet is varied," Judy said. "I eat more than blueberries and bugaburgers."

"Fluff, I'll have you know that both of those are perfectly acceptable meals." Nick said, stepping away so Judy could open her suitcase. She began to take out her clothes and put them in the nearby dresser at the foot of her bed. Nick had stepped away and, when she started getting to more personal clothes, he stepped out of the room. She gave him the all-clear a minute later, and he stepped back into the room. He swept his gaze over the room one last time, eyes stopping when they landed on Judy. She saw the beginning of another smirk on his muzzle, and she knew exactly why: She was clutching a little fox plush to her chest, one he had gotten her during their first visit to an arcade several months ago. Much like Nick, its ears, tailtip, and paws were ended in black, with a cream belly and sparkling green eyes.

She stroked its ears and set it amongs the rabbits on her bed, turning as Nick gave her a soft smile instead of a smirk. "Adorable," he said.

"Yes it is," Judy replied, walking towards the doorway. "Oh, Nick, you can probably leave your bag in here until we find a room for you. If you leave it out, the kits might get into it."

"And that would be a problem; lots of adult fox stuff in here," he said, bringing the duffel bag around and patting it. "Adult fox stuff, like his coffee."

" _Definitely_ keep that away from the kits, then," Judy warned. "If you thought they were energetic before, then you don't want to even imagine them with coffee."

"Would it be like giving them crack?"

"That's what it basically is," Judy nodded. "When bunnies get older they can handle caffeine better, but even then it's bad for us."

"Just another reason as to why you should stop stealing my coffee," Nick said.

"Maybe, but that's no fun," Judy replied with a grin. "Now come on, let's see if my mom needs any help with dinner."


	5. Dinner Talk

Judy looked around, trying to pick out individual conversations amongst the cacophony of the dinner table. Glasses clanked, silverware clattered, and siblings were none-too-quietly chatting amongst one another. For a brief moment she though t she heard Nick say her name, and she turned to look at him. The fox was sat several seats further up the table, facing her parents and stuck in between two of her more obnoxious brothers, Fred and George. The fox was doing his best to look at ease, keeping on a friendly smile while he answered the questions that came at him from every angle. She could see, though, that he was nervous.

From the way that his left ear flicked, the guarded look in his eyes, and how he hardly took a bite of his meal was evidence enough for Judy. While it was evident that he hadn't said anything to her, Judy still decided to listen in on his conversation, taking slow bites of her sweet potato taco as she did so.

"What did I do before Judy dragged me into the ZPD? I was a salesmammal. No, not the door-to-door kind. I sold various things. For a while I did pawpsicles, but that ended up not being reliable. Then? Oh, I started helping with lumber. A place called 'Little Rodentia', they were always building more houses for the tiny mammals."

Judy continued to listen in, not noticing the figure sneaking up behind her. She jumped when a pair of paws jabbed into her sides, almost making her lose her grip on her food. Whipping her head around, Judy met a pair of amused jade green eyes. The cream-furred bunny they belonged to stepped back, grinning as he gave Judy an innocent look. "Ugh. Aaron, don't do that while I'm eating!" Judy sighed, running a paw over her face as she looked up at her brother.

"Well how else would I get your attention?" the buck asked, grinning more as Judy gave him a light glare. "I wouldn't, exactly. But hey, when you're done, Soni and I are gonna meet up in the old spot. Wanna join us?"

Judy cast a glance back at Nick, thinking. "I would, but I don't think I should just leave Nick all alone."

"Why not? He's doing fine. Come on, Jude, we haven't seen you in _ages_! It'd be like old times! Beside, Soni wants to talk to you away from everyone else." Aaron ducked his head slightly, giving Judy a pleading look. She stared back, doing her best to not give in, before sighing.

"Alright, but I don't want to stay for long."

"Great!" Aaron jumped back and smiled. "Don't worry, we won't keep you from your boyfriend too long."

Judy's ears burned at this, and she stammered for a moment before managing to speak. "He is _not_ my boyfriend!" She hissed.

"Then why are you so eager to stick with him?" Aaron asked.

"Because it's his first time here, and he's the only fox surrounded by a small army of rabbits. I just want to make sure he's comfortable before leaving him on his own." Judy defended herself, crossing her arms.

Aaron let out an unconvinced chuckle, rolling his eyes. "Sure, keep telling yourself that, Jude. Just don't take too long, alright? Some of us have to do farmwork tomorrow."

Judy shook her head and scoffed in response. "Do you really think I've forgotten?" She asked.

"Just making sure," Aaron replied with a grin, before backing away. Judy once again rolled her eyes, turning back to her dinner. She continued to eavesdrop on Nick's conversations, though it was never really interesting. He was constantly being asked questions, some of which Judy was embarrassed by ("Have you ever eaten meat before?" "Why is your fur so bright?" "So are you Judy's partner, or _partner_?").

That last one almost made her choke on her food, and even Nick almost stammered at the question.

When she was done eating, the bunny took her plate and set it in one of the sinks, rinsing it off before going over to Nick's side of the table and sneaking up on him. He was engrossed in telling a story – from the sounds of it, how they met – when Judy poked at his side, making the fox jump slightly. He turned and, with a grin, said to his audience "Well speak of the devil and she shall appear." Then, turning to her, he said: "What's up?"

"I'm going to head out for a while, you think you'll be okay here?" Judy asked.

Nick gave the bunny a look of feigned hurt. "Carrots, you think I wouldn't be just fine on my own surrounded by a bunch of bunnies?"

"Normally no, but this is _my_ family we're talking about," Judy chuckled back.

Nick tilted his head and gave a slight nod. "Point taken. I'll do my best, but don't take too long – if you take too long, there won't be any fox left. These kits will just eat me _alive_ " he joked.

"As long as the tail is untouched, I'll be happy," Judy quipped back.

"Again with my tail – do we need to have an intervention?" Nick asked.

"Nope, we just need-" Judy started, but then cut herself short when she saw one of her siblings making mock kissy faces and pointing to both her and Nick. With ears now set ablaze, the rabbit shook her head and gave a nervous chuckle. "I, uh, I'll be back, okay Nick? Don't hustle anyone while I'm gone."

Nick gave Judy a briefly confused look, but nodded and let a smirk fall over his face. "No promises, Carrots," he said, giving her a quick two-finger salute before turning back to the table as she started walking away. "Now, where was I? Oh, right, when your guys' sister decided to start _stalking_ me-"

"Nick!" She shouted, making the fox laugh. Shaking her head despite the grin on her face, the bunny continued on her way, letting Nick continue the story.

~ óÓÒò ~

The sun had set by the time Judy made it out to the old meeting place for her closest siblings – an old hilltop, upon which sat an ancient sycamore. A piece of rope attached to a tire dangled from one side, the other rope having been long worn through. The tree itself stood well over fifty feet tall, possibly even a hundred, and had been used as a meeting area for the plotting of pranks since well before Judy was born – her parents had once claimed to have hidden away in the tree on nights when they just needed away from their families.

But tonight had no such secret meetings going on, and instead found only a small group of rabbits gathered around the tree's large base. It was more than Judy had expected, but was still pleasantly few compared to inside – she may be a bunny, but she had become so acclimated to the lack of interaction in Zootopia that being suddenly surrounded by hundred of rabbits in one burrow became slightly overwhelming.

Though that wasn't to say she wasn't disappointed when the majority of the bunnies left during her approach. While they all stopped to say hello and otherwise greet Judy, welcoming her home, they said they'd see her inside. Aaron and Soni waited for Judy at the top of the hill, though Soni was harder to make out as she was sat against the tree with her knees hugged to her chest as Aaron talked with her. They both turned to Judy when she arrived, giving her a warm smile in greeting.

"Hey, so glad she could pry herself away from her fox to join us," Aaron said with a grin.

Judy rolled her eyes and planted her paws on her hips, giving her brother an unamused look as her sister picked herself up from where she sat. "Har har, Aaron. I told you before-"

"Yeah, yeah, but what kind of brother would I be if I didn't tease you about it?" he interrupted, grin widening.

"Well, I for one think it's a nice change of pace," Soni said. "Judy finally comes home and brings a guy with her. I had to check and see if it was the apocalypse, even if he is a fox."

"Oh not you _too_ ," Judy groaned.

Soni just gave an apologetic smile and shrugged. "Hey, trying to make up for lost time."

"Why did I ever put up with you two?" Judy wondered aloud, laying on the ground to stare at the sky.

"Not like you had a choice," Soni pointed out. Aaron grunted in agreement.

"Don't remind me," Judy replied with a small laugh.

"Oh, sis has some quips now?" Aaron asked, sitting to one of Judy's sides, Soni doing the same as Judy sat up to face them. The bunny shook her head to clear out the random bits of grass that clung to her fur, smugly smiling back at her brother.

"What, didn't think I could learn to fire back?" She asked.

Aaron and Soni looked at one another, grinning. "Well, sis, maybe it _is_ the apocalypse?" Aaron said.

"At this rate, it could be," Soni replied.

"You two are insufferable," Judy laughed, shaking her head as she idly tugged at the grass. "So, Aaron, what'd you want us here for? Since you were so impatient..."

"Hey, I'm the messenger, don't look at me!" Aaron said defensively, putting his paws up. Soni snickered and began to tug at the grass as well.

"I wanted to talk to you," Soni said. "I overheard something that might interest you. Not long after you showed up with your 'friend'" she air quoted the word, earning a slight glare from Judy, "That some of our... Less open-minded siblings, mainly kits, were quite scared of him. And the older ones quickly decided to uh... Make him less scary, in a way?"

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers," Judy breathed. "You don't mean-"

"No, no!" Soni interrupted. "They aren't going to coat him in honey and feathers! Mom and dad gave them one heck of a lecture when they did that to mister Jackson. But they did mention shaving."

"They'd better not try to shave Nick," Judy said, turning to look down at the house. "When did they decide this? We've only been here for a few hours!"

Aaron spoke up now. "Jude, you know our family. We had betting pools on what kind of mammal your partner was, and 'fox' just so happened to be one of the most lucrative. So they were already plotting for a fox being who you brought."

"So it shouldn't be a surprise to you," Soni continued. "But, I just so happen to _also_ know where they stashed their 'instruments of destruction'."

Judy continued to stare at the house for a moment, before turning to her siblings, the light of mischief showing in their eyes. "In that case, what're we waiting for?"


	6. Meant To Be

Judy sat in her room, patiently waiting. Soni was currently retrieving the razors from where her other siblings had stashed them, and Aaron was out keeping track of where the rabbits that wanted to shave Nick were. Said fox was currently getting ready for bed – at the moment, he would be sleeping on the couch at his request until they could find him better sleeping arrangements.

When Judy had gotten inside, they had pulled the fox aside and told him about the plan some of their siblings had against him, as well as the current counter-plan to that. While Nick got a good laugh at the idea of them simply shaving the offending bunnies, Nick had a better idea: Keep the razors hidden over the course of a few days, letting unrest come over the group, before shaving them all and putting the 'evidence' on one of them. While Judy got a good laugh of her own out of the idea, she decided against it, as she knew the chaos it would create. So instead, they settled for simply hiding the razors in Judy's room until she and Nick left.

The moment there was a knock at her door, Judy was opening it. Soni slipped into the room and set down the backpack she carried, shaking her head. "They didn't even _try_ to hide these things," She said. "They might as well have been out in the open."

"That just makes your job easier then, right?" Judy asked, opening the bag slightly. Just as she expected, it was filled with electric razors, ready to clip fur from whoever was unlucky enough to be targeted by one. Thankfully, that target was no longer going to be Nick. "No one's shaving my fox," Judy muttered under her breath.

"Right," Soni said, giving a nod as she wandered to the window. She stared outside while Judy pushed the backpack into the bottom drawer of her dresser, making sure it shut completely before tossing herself onto her bed. Her sister turned to look at her from the corner of her eye, and Judy raised an eyebrow questioningly. Soni smiled in response, stepping away from the window and turning to face Judy. "So, how long have you known Nick?"

"About two years now," Judy replied, staring at her ceiling, paws idly roaming over the fuzzy mountain of stuffed bunnies by her head.

"That's quite a while," Soni observed. "How'd you two meet?"

"I dragged him into helping me solve a case," Judy said simply. "He was the only lead I had on a missing mammal, and stuck with me as I dragged him through the city until we found all the missing mammals the ZPD was looking for. Why are you asking, though? You were here when I came back from the city."

Soni shrugged, crossing her arms as she stared down at her sister. "Just trying to figure a few things out."

"Oh?" Judy asked, looking at her sister. "What things exactly?"

"Nothing special. Just what's going on between you and your partner." Soni shrugged nonchalantly, looking back out the window. Judy quietly stared at her sister, trying to figure out what exactly she meant, though she already had a good idea.

"Nothing's going on between us," Judy finally said, continuing to mess with the plush bunnies by her idly.

"Right. So that 'my fox' comment means nothing?" Soni asked skeptically.

"Oh, che- you heard that?" Judy asked, sitting up slightly and turning to her sister.

Soni just laughed, turning to face Judy again. "Jude, we're _bunnies,_ in the same quiet room. You could've thought it and I would've heard you."

Judy groaned and flopped back onto her bed, silently cursing her wording. It was quiet for a minute as Soni went over to Judy's desk and took her chair, setting it by her bed before sitting in it. Judy cast a quick glance to her sister, rolling her eyes slightly. "What, are you going to get all Freudian on me?"

"If that's what it takes," Soni replied, leaning down to be more at Judy's eye level. "So come on, what's that all about?"

"It... Was just a slip of the tongue," Judy said defensively.

"Jude, come on, you know you can't lie to me."

"Alright, alright," Judy sighed. A brief feeling of butterflies filled her stomach, and she knew why. Her sister was making her think of something she'd been mentally avoiding – her feelings towards Nick, which she knew extended well beyond friendship. "To be honest, I don't know what it's all about. Yes, I called him 'my fox' and no, it isn't the first time, but I didn't think about it."

"Alright. And how does Nick react to you saying that?" Soni asked.

Judy had to think for a moment, the only real moment she had caught his reaction during one of her slips being at the hospital a few weeks ago. "He pauses for a moment," she said, remembering the way his smirk faltered when she first called him hers. "And I can tell it surprises him. But he doesn't say anything about it."

Soni let out a small sound of understanding. "Well, since that leads nowhere, let's try something else. Do you like him?"

"Of course I do." Judy's reply was instantaneous. Soni let the hints of a small smirk form as Judy scrambled to continue. "We're the best of friends, and we're one of the best teams on the force. We hang out all the time, we always support one another, and we know how to help one another if something happens."

Soni let out a single, quiet chuckle. "Sounds to me like you two are really close. But how does he make you feel? And no lying, Judy."

Judy looked over at her sister, who was sitting back in her chair and patiently awaiting a response. Judy knew her sister would continue to pester her until she was satisfied with the answers she got. For that reason, Judy had once suggested Soni join her at the ZPD, but her sister had turned it down to pursue a career as a counselor instead. That was likely also the reason why she could tell if Judy was lying to her.

Judy let her roaming paw come to a rest on top of something noticeably fuzzier than the rest of her collection. Lifting it up, she inspected the little red fox she had picked up. The green eyes sparkled brilliantly as it smiled down to her, as if encouraging her to speak. "I... Don't know. Whenever I see him, I get a little warm feeling in me. His stupid jokes always make me laugh, his smirk makes me smile, and when he genuinely smiles, it makes me feel happy." The bunny reached up and gently rubbed the back of one of the fox's ears. "Whenever I'm feeling down because of a case, he perks me back up faster than anyone else. If we get hurt on the job, he makes sure I'm safe and seen to before himself. I think about our banter when he's not around, and it cheers me up. I can't wait to see him at work each day, and I hate having to say goodbye each night. And all the time, I can't help but think about him and that stupid smirk and his handsome face, and his soft tail, and..."

With a small sigh, Judy brought the plush fox to her chest, holding it there as she shut her eyes, trying to focus on the warmth flowing through her. She couldn't help the small, wishful feeling that she had Nick to hug rather than the toy look-a-like. Soni was silent, until Judy finally opened her eyes and looked over at her sister. The expression on her face was, at least initially, unreadable until it morphed into a small, knowing smile. "It sounds to me like you love him."

Judy's heart thumped at that word. She had a lot of thoughts about Nick, true, but love was never one of them. It had never been one that crossed her mind... But, thinking about it more, she realized that that was because she had never let it. She avoided thinking that word because she had been afraid that, if she did feel that way, it wouldn't be reciprocated. She worried that it would hurt their friendship and partnership, and that it would damage what they had beyond repair. The very notion of not showing up to the ZPD with Nick as her partner panicked her, and the thought of not seeing him again was even worse. "But, Soni, I've had crushes before... It never felt like this," Judy replied quietly.

"That's because it's a crush." Soni spoke softly, leaning forward in her seat. "When you love someone, it's different. Tell me if any of this sounds like what he does: When you see him, you smile immediately. When you're hurt, you seek him out. When you think of him, you feel warm and happy inside. Is that it?"

Judy was hesitant, but she nodded. Her sister sat back and smiled even more. "Then, if you ask me, you love him."

Judy stared at the ceiling, silently taking in the idea. She certainly had some strong feelings for the fox, it was obvious. And the more she thought about it, the more she had to agree with Soni. She just hadn't let herself think about the subject. It was undeniable for her – she loved the fox, and every aspect of him. From his lazy-eyed smirk, to his quips, his horrible fashion sense, and his even more horrible sense of humor.

"I... I think I love him too," Judy breathed.

And like that, a weight was lifted from Judy. A pressure she had forgotten was there disappeared, and in its place was nothing but warmth. She was careful, though, tempering it with the knowledge that Nick may not feel the same.

"There you go," Soni muttered. The doe rose up from her seat, a warm smile on her face as she turned to the door. Judy watched with curiosity that quickly gave way to panic as her sister approached the door, sitting bolt upright and ready to shout at her to not, but the door was opened before Judy could speak. Much to her relief, it wasn't Nick on the other side of the door.

Much to her worry, it was her mother.

"M-Mom, you heard that?" Judy asked in a panic, tossing the plush fox to the side in an attempt to hide it.

Bonnie nodded shallowly, paws folded in front of her as she stepped into the room. Judy swung her legs over the side of her bed, staring as her mother stopped in the middle of her room. "I did," Bonnie admitted. "And I think we need to have a talk."

~ óÓÒò ~

Nick was laying on the couch, one arm tossed over his eyes as he tried to force himself to sleep. Unfortunately for the fox, sleep wasn't coming easily for him. He felt too hot, the couch was less comfortable than it looked, and the blanket he had on was brushing roughly against his fur. He felt exhausted, however, making him wish all the more that sleep would take him for the night.

When he finally decided to give up, he threw off the blanket and pried himself from the couch, rubbing his eyes as he made his way into the kitchen for a glass of water. He knew what dishware went where, as he had helped wash and put away dishes after dinner, and so went straight for the larger cups without flicking on a light. Given his natural night vision and the faint bit of moonlight streaming in from outside, he could see well enough to make his way to the cupboard and the sink with no trouble. But what he didn't see what the bunny by the light switch, who flicked it on as Nick was approaching the sink. With a slight hiss of discomfort at the sudden change in light, accompanied by a wince as he covered his eyes, the fox slowly turned to see who had entered the kitchen.

A bunny he recognized as Aaron was there, looking at Nick with surprise. "Geez, warn a guy next time," Nick chuckled, getting some water from the tap. "You tryin' to make me go blind?"

"Sorry about that," Aaron said, taking a few steps into the kitchen.

"It's alright," Nick muttered, taking a drink from his glass. Aaron walked over to the cupboard and took out a glass of his own, waiting until Nick had stepped aside to give the rabbit room. Aaron mumbled a "thank you" as he poured himself a glass of water, taking a slow drink. Nick just nodded and stared out the counter window that overlooked the fields. If he were at his apartment, he'd consider either climbing to the roof to sleep. The fresh air always helped him relax, and the sounds of the city became a soothing white noise to him. But out here, in Bunnyburrow, he had no such remedy.

"So," Aaron said suddenly, drawing Nick from his thoughts. The fox looked at the bunny curiously, waiting for him to continue. "How long have you known Judy?"

"About two years. She blackmailed me into helping her with a case, and we became friends. She convinced me to join the ZPD with her, and since then, we've been partners." Nick replied quietly, taking another drink as he turned his attention back to the outside world.

"She blackmailed you?" Aaron asked, laughing. "That sounds like her."

Nick raised an eyebrow, looking at the bunny again. "Oh? Is she notorious for that, then? Here I was thinking I was some special case," the fox chuckled.

"Well, she doesn't do it often, but she knows what to do for what's right," the bunny said. "But you must be some kind of special case if she wanted you to join her at the ZPD."

"I guess I can agree with that," Nick replied. "But I think it has more to do with our friendship. When we first met, I was anything but nice to her. A patronizing, belittling snob that tried to take her down from her perch. I mean, I found the idea of a bunny cop laughable." The fox trailed off there, unsure if he should continue. Aaron made the decision for him, tilting his head and making a gesture for the fox to continue. "But she came back, and dragged my sorry tail through half the city to help her solve her case. Somehow, we became friends during those two days. I'm pretty sure I was her first friend in the city." Nick paused here to finish off and refill his glass. "Then there was that press conference – she told you about that, right?" Aaron nodded. "I figured, you two seem close as siblings. I admit, I took what she said poorly... I left her that day. Then she came back out here, to Bunnyburrow for a few months, until she came back one day. The first thing she said was that we made a mistake on her first case, and that we weren't done. I, of course, still hurt... So I acted like I wasn't interested. Then she did something I couldn't... She apologized. She told me she was sorry for what she said, what she thought... That she needed my help, and I could hate her after. So I did something I hadn't done in a long time..."

Aaron waited for Nick to continue, the fox staring down at his drink with a thoughtful expression. "What did you do?" he finally asked, when the fox had been silent for a minute.

Nick lifted his head up slightly and smiled. "I forgave her. And just like that, we were back to before the conference – full trust, best friends... It was like the conference never happened. Together, we solved the case. A little after that, I went off to the Academy. Almost a year later, I graduate, and am immediately put on the beat as her partner. The rest-"

"Is history," Aaron finished. Nick smiled wider and nodded. "So you two sound pretty close, then. What do you think about her?"

Nick laughed like it was a stupid question to ask. "I think she's amazing. She doesn't give up, and has a whole lot more spirit than you'd think for a bunny – no offense."

"None taken."

"She pushes me to do better, each day. She dragged me out of this pit I was in and showed me that the world wasn't this endless abyss, that it was still bright and full of hope. She inspires me, drives me. I wouldn't be the mammal I am today if not for her." Nick sighed softly, taking a drink of water as he stared at his reflection in the window again.

Aaron was quiet for a moment, staring at his cup as he internally debated on asking something. When he finally decided, he took a deep breath. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you loved her the way you talk about her."

Nick's ears lowered at that, and his smile fell slightly. He watched his reflection as his eyes took on a glossy, guarded sheen look. "The funny thing is, you wouldn't be wrong there. But I have no idea if she feels the same way, and I won't risk hurting what we are now. Besides, she's a bunny and I'm a fox..."

"You think that'd stop her?" Aaron asked. Curious, Nick turned to look at him. "She wouldn't be the only bunny in the family to have found romance outside of her species. Siblings have brought home partners ranging from an otter, to an ewe, to even a shrew."

"Yeah, but those are all relatively... Safe." Nick sighed.

"So?" Aaron asked. "I'm dating a margay right now – wonderful lady. We aren't all as close-minded as the city thinks we are."

"Alright, but what about me?" Nick countered. "I'm a fox, a natural predator to rabbits."

"You're a fox, yes," Aaron acknowledged. "But your kind hasn't hunted ours for thousands of years. Societal norms of love and fear are the only reasons some couples that are meant to be never form. But then there's couples out there – like me and my lovely Summer – who decide to ignore those norms and fear."

Nick hesitated for a moment, trying to conjure up some other argument for his defense. But Aaron was having none of it as he continued on. "You two are really close – you said it yourself, best friends. Our mom always told us that, sometimes, our best friends are also our best loves. I know it isn't my place to really tell you anything, but I think you need to tell her."

"And if she doesn't feel the same way?" Nick asked.

"Do you really think she doesn't?" Aaron countered. "From what I've seen, you two basically act as a couple already. You just need to admit it."

Nick fell silent, letting himself drink in the rabbit's words. He had a point, Nick had to admit. The reason he had avoided telling Judy how he felt was out of fear, but the little things she did – from sticking so close to him as they walked, to the few times she had called him her fox – made his heart skip a beat and his being ache with desire. If he never took the plunge and asked Judy how she felt, he would never know. But at the same time, it kept their friendship safe.

He was torn between wanting to be more than friends with Judy, and to ensure they would stay friends. But in the end, he knew which one he would take.

~ óÓÒò ~

"Okay, okay wait, mom, how much did you hear?" Judy asked, eyes wide.

"Everything," Bonnie replied flatly, face stoic as she looked down at Judy. The bunny's ears fell limp in a combination of embarrassment and worry. She let her gaze fall to the floor as Bonnie sat beside her on the bed.

"You... Aren't upset about it, are you?" Judy asked cautiously. Her fear rose again as her mother took a deep breath, and the longer she didn't respond, the more panic Judy could feel welling within her.

"Not at all," was the reply. Judy raised her ears slightly, lifting her head as well to look at her mother. Bonnie held a comforting smile, paws resting in her lap. "You and Nick acted so much like a couple, it surprised me that you two _weren't_. I wanted to talk to you about it myself, but your sister insisted on doing it this way."

Judy turned to look at Soni, who shrugged innocently. "It was so obvious it hurt, Jude. You just needed help realizing it."

"Alright, but what if Nick doesn't feel the same way? What about dad? I know he isn't exactly the most supportive of this kind of thing." Judy asked.

"Honey, do you really believe Nick would act the way he does with you if he didn't?" her mother asked. "As for your father, I'll talk to him about it. He's really gotten better about a lot more than you'd think." Judy looked down at the floor, thinking about the question. She had seen Nick around vixens all the time, but aside from some flirtatious remarks, he never behaved quite the way he did with Judy. And more than once she had caught him looking at her when he thought she wasn't looking. She couldn't deny her feelings for the fox, especially since Soni had made her address them, but she was still uncertain that Nick liked her in that regard.

"I... I think he would," Judy said slowly.

"Jude, do you _really_ think that?" Soni asked.

Judy bit her lip, thinking harder about the question, this time answering with a shake of her head. "But I'm still scared that-"

"Judy," her mother interrupted. "If you let your fear about what might not be keep you from seeing what might already be, you won't get anywhere. Just talk to him. I know the idea is scary, but trust me. I was in this same situation once with your father."

Judy stared at the floor once again, nodding. "But how?" She asked to no one in particular.

"I have an idea," Soni said. Judy and Bonnie looked up to her as she continued. "Take a blanket and go up to the hill. Talk with him. Stay out there as long as you need to. But talk to him out there – there's no eavesdroppers, it's quiet, and it's peaceful."

"That could work," Judy muttered.

"Well I think that's a wonderful idea," Bonnie said, standing up from the bed. "And think you should try it."

Judy looked up at her mother, standing up with her. "I should," she echoed, nervousness evident in her voice. Then, she took a deep breath to steel herself and, with more conviction than before, she said: "I need a blanket."

~ óÓÒò ~

Nick looked up from the counter, turning away from Aaron as someone cleared their throat behind her. For the past few minutes, he and Aaron had been idly talking before either one got tired enough for bed. Much to Nick's surprise, Judy was standing in the large doorway to the kitchen, a bulky blanket folded and tucked under her arm. "Hey, Fluff," Nick said, carefully masking the nervousness in his voice.

"Heya, Slick," Judy replied. She sounded as nervous as he felt, putting the fox slightly on guard. "Can't fall asleep?"

"Yeah," Nick admitted. "Just had a hard time getting comfortable. You?"

Judy shook her head. "I've been talking with my sister and mom."

Nick raised his head, letting out a small "Ah" sound. "So then, what's with the blanket?"

Judy was quiet for a moment, looking at the object under her arm. "I was going to go lay outside for a bit to relax. Want to tag along? I think we need to talk."

Nick nodded before finishing his drink, setting the glass in the sink. "Sure – I'm not in trouble, am I, officer?"

Judy chuckled softly at Nick's joke. "You might be if you don't hurry up," she replied.

Nick grinned and gave Aaron a small nod and a wave as he walked out of the room after Judy. He stepped out of the warm burrow and into the cold night air, giving a small shiver at the unexpected temperature. It wasn't freezing by any means, but compared to inside, it was chilly. He adjusted quickly, though, and was pleased to find that it was still a warm night compared to the usual of the season. Stretching his arms high up over his head, he groaned out a "Where to, Carrots?"

"This way," she replied, setting off for a hill to the left of the burrow. Nick kept up with her step-for-step, mentally preparing himself for what he needed to tell her. Judy was quiet as she walked, nose twitching despite her raised ears and normally bouncy walk. While he wasn't sure what exactly was running through that little bunny head of hers, he hoped it was something good.

~ óÓÒò ~

Aaron stared out of the window, watching Nick and Judy walk towards the distant hill. He could feel two mammals join his side, and he immediately knew who they were. Reaching up his left paw into a fist, he bumped it against Soni's, grinning widely. "Not sure what you said to her, sis, but I think we just gave them the push they needed. But Mom, I didn't think you were in on this?"

"Please, Aaron, I'm not as out of the loop as you two think." Bonnie smiled as she stared out the window with them. "But I think you're right. They needed a little push. And I can tell Nick's a good mammal. I think he and Judy will be great together."

"So do I," Soni chimed in. "I was hoping the teasing would be enough, but Judy's a stubborn one. Think he's who she deserves?"

"Definitely," Bonnie said.

~ óÓÒò ~

"So, a hilltop on the family farm? Didn't think you could be so cliché, Carrots."

Judy rolled her eyes as she drew the blanket out at the base of the tree, Nick helping tug the ends out. "There's only so many clichés I can avoid, Nick," she pointed out. "After all, I _am_ a bunny from Bunnyburrow."

"Fair point," Nick replied, sitting on one edge of the blanket. Judy sat beside him, cross-legged as she stared out at the horizon. The two sat there in silence, staring out over the farmland for several minutes, before Nick broke the silence. "So, we needed to talk?"

Judy took a moment to respond, her heart thudding in her chest as she turned to look at Nick. "Yeah. Uh... Nick, there's something I have to tell you. At least, I think I have to. I mean, I... Oh, cheese and crackers..." Judy buried her face in her palms, ears burning in embarrassment as she fumbled over her words.

Nick smiled softly, turning to face Judy now. "Easy there, Carrots. Relax, no rush. We've only got all night."

Somehow, that helped. Her embarrassment didn't go away, but Judy was able to build up more courage to face it from Nick's little quip. She lifted her head from her palms, looking up to meet Nick's gaze. When their eyes met, Judy felt her resolve increase. She could do this. "I need to tell you something," she said. Nick dipped his head, giving Judy a 'go on' look. Judy took a deep breath before continuing.

"I... I've been dealing with this for a while, and it's been on my chest for a while. But coming out here really made me realize I need to say it, and I hope you understand, but I can't wait any longer. Nick, I-" She paused, noticing how the fox's ears fell slightly. Panic welled within Judy, but she forced it down, pushing on. "Nick, I think... No, Nick, I know... I love you."

The fox's expression went blank, and Judy felt breathless. His expression was unreadable, even to her, and that let the panic that she had forced down well up again. "I-I mean... Nick, it's okay if... If you don't feel the same way, I just... I needed to get it off my chest, and I couldn't think of-"

Judy's ramblings were cut off as Nick held up a paw, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Judy wanted to speak more, but bit her tongue to let Nick speak. The blank expression he had been wearing gave way to something that looked like... Relief. Relief, and more happiness than she'd ever seen him have before. "Judy, I..." The fox started, catching himself and taking a relaxing breath before resuming. "I love you, too. I think I always have."

Judy stared at Nick, eyes still locked on his as he lowered his paw. "Really?" She breathed out, relief flowing over her. Nick nodded, a smile tugging at his muzzle – a genuine smile, one that warmed Judy to her core.

"Really," he echoed.

The two sat like that, staring at one another until one of them let out a chuckle. They couldn't tell who started it, but soon they were both snickering. The snickers turned into chuckles, and that in turn became laughter. The two laughed for what felt like ages, feeling a weight leave them, and a sensation similar to butterflies in their stomach replacing it. It was euphoric, in a way, and neither could contain themselves.

When the laughter finally died down, Nick and Judy went back to looking one another in the eyes. "I was so worried about telling you," Judy started.

Nick grinned in clear understanding, a familiar mischevious light showing in his emerald eyes. "So was I. But I mean, I shouldn't have been worried – no one can resist _my_ charms."

Judy lightly punched his shoulder. "Normally I'd argue with you, but this time you're right, Slick."

"You mean there's a time when I'm ever not right?" he asked, grin widening.

"The other ninety-nine percent of the time, yes," Judy replied with her own grin.

"Ouch, Carrots, give a fox some credit," Nick chuckled.

"Well, now I'm thinking about giving him something else," Judy replied coyly, leaning slightly closer to Nick.

This only made Nick's grin widen even more. "And what would that be?" he asked, leaning down to meet her at eye level.

Without responding, Judy pressed herself forward, meeting Nick's lips with hers. Her body felt as if it were suddenly electrified at the contact, a feeling of inexplicable and extreme warmth spreading through her entire being. Nick returned the kiss as best he could, though given the difference in their size, it was more of an awkward smooch from him that covered the area around Judy's mouth. The two pulled apart, Judy giggling at their mishap of a first kiss as she wiped at her muzzle with a sleeve, Nick giving an apologetic grin.

With an unspoken agreement, the two came together for a second try, this one being more successful than the first. They adjusted for the size difference of the other, lips meeting in a more complete way, a more appropriate kiss. This time, Judy's body felt like it was set ablaze alongside the electric feeling – a crackle of happiness, accompanied by a slow burn of passion that filled her. It made her feel weightless, as if she would float away if not for Nick.

The two parted after what felt like minutes but was likely only seconds, breathing heavily and grinning widely. She wasn't sure if Nick had the same sensation as her, but Judy loved every moment of their kiss, and would've gone in for another had she not told herself to wait and cherish them. So instead, she pressed herself against Nick. The fox, though, had other ideas, instead lifting up Judy and shifting to the center of the blanket, setting her in his lap.

Not satisfied with this, Judy turned around and burrowed her muzzle into Nick's neck, snuggling against and hugging him as best she could as she listened to the fox's hearty chuckle rumble in his chest. She was pressed against him further as Nick wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a close embrace. Judy continued to press against the fox, though, until he gave in and let himself tumble onto his back. Judy was still being hugged to his chest, the rumble of his laughter bringing an even wider grin to her, as well as her own giggles. Shutting her eyes, Judy buried her nose into Nick's fluff and took a deep breath, relishing the vaguely spicy scent that lay just over the more distinct scent that was so indescribably Nick, a scent she never realized she so desperately desired.

No more words were exchanged that night. The two remained on the blanket, still in their embrace, neither letting go of the other, even once they fell asleep under the stars and leaves.

~ óÓÒò ~

 **I'm giggling like an anime schoolgirl right now. It took a whole lot longer than I expected but I finally got the WildeHopps ship sailing in my main story. I really, sincerely hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
I gotta go stop giggling and get some sleep now.  
I really love writing WildeHopps...**

Until next time!  
~ óÓÒò ~


	7. Start A Fire

**Sorry this is so late. Writing anything has been torture lately and I've only managed a few sentences at a time. But at least, after this chapter, things will pick up and it should be easier to write.**

~ óÓÒò ~

Nick blinked open an eye and frowned slightly at the sunlight that met him, wishing he had a way to set the sun back an hour or so to just before dawn. The annoyance was more than offset, however, by the sleeping little bunny in his arms. For a split second, he worried about what had happened the night before, but the moment his mind woke up enough to replay their confessions, he calmed himself. Noting the time, and the fact that Judy's family would be up and in the fields at any moment if they weren't already, Nick reluctantly made the decision to try and wake Judy. Giving her a little shake, he chuckled as the sleeping bunny curled against let out a displeased groan. "Come on, Carrots, it's time to get up," he said, shaking Judy once again.

Judy shook her head slightly, burying her nose against him. Nick let out a small "aww" at the action, before trying once more to shake her awake. When this didn't work, Nick decided to try something a little experimental.

Reaching a paw around to the back of her head, Nick lightly raked his claws through the fur of Judy's head, drawing a shudder from the bunny. Judy responded by poking an eye open at Nick, a combination of happiness at seeing him and irritation at being woken in her amethyst gaze. "Time to get up," Nick repeated.

Judy shook her head and pressed her nose against Nick's chest again. "Ten more minutes," she mumbled sleepily through his fur. Nick chuckled softly and ran his claws through the fur atop Judy's head again, grinning as she lifted her head into the feeling.

"No can do, Fluff. We gotta get up." Nick shifted himself this time, making Judy slip partly off of him.

Judy sighed and grumbled incoherently as she pushed herself off of Nick and onto the blanket, into a sitting position. She let out a massive yawn, arms stretching over her head as Nick sat up, going through similar motions. "Why do we have to get up? I was all comfortable using you as a pillow," the bunny complained.

"While I don't at all mind being your pillow," Nick chuckled back, staring at the remains of the sunrise. "I have a feeling that having several hundred bunnies finding us like that could be a bit problematic."

"Oh, they can stuff it," Judy replied, pushing herself to her feet. She offered Nick a paw to help him up, the fox groaning as he rose up. As he rubbed the base of his back, Judy scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you're getting old on me already, Nick."

"Har har," Nick replied, turning to fold up the blanket they had been laying on. "I'll have you know that I'm still quite a young fox."

"And how often are you complaining about feeling old when we're on shift?" Judy replied, grinning as Nick rolled his eyes, tucking the blanket under his arm.

"That's all for show," the fox chuckled. Judy just let out an unconvinced snort and shook her head.

"Whatever you say, Slick. Come on, let's get inside and warmed up." Judy turned on her heels and started trotting down the hill, Nick at her side. Their paws brushed together a few times, before the bunny took the fox's larger paw in her own, bringing a smile to both of them.

They walked in silence for a time, simply enjoying one another's presence, before Nick suddenly had a concerning thought. "Hey, Carrots?" he asked. She looked up at him and gave a small "hm?". "What's everyone going to think about us?"

"What do you mean?" Judy asked.

"I mean, your parents, the Precinct, and everyone else?"

Judy slowed down as she thought about this. Last night, she and Nick had been so engrossed in their emotions that she didn't consider – or even really care about – what others would think. "Well, my mom actually encouraged it last night... And she said she'd take care of my dad. A surprising amount of my siblings don't adhere to dating just bunnies, but hares are so close that they're basically rabbits..."

"Aaron did mention he was dating a margay," Nick commented. "I didn't think that would be very welcome."

"He is?" Judy asked, looking up in surprise. "He never told me."

"Maybe he was keeping it a secret?" Nick suggested, shrugging before shaking his head. "We can ask later, back to the point. What about the Precinct?"

"Well," Judy said, thinking back to her time at the Academy. "They didn't cover it very long, but there's no law _against_ inter-species relationships in the city – so that covers Zootopia – and if I remember right, relationships between partners aren't encouraged..."

"But not forbidden," Nick finished, tail swaying behind him as he smiled. "I remember covering that."

"So it becomes more of a question on what Bogo would do," Judy continued with a nod. "And I don't know about you, but I don't think he'd split us apart for this."

"Right, unless he wants to face the wrath of one cu-" Nick cut himself off just in time to avoid one of Judy's elbows aimed at his gut. "- _adorable_ and fierce bunny," he continued, grinning innocently at Judy's slight glare. "I caught myself," he said defensively when her glare only worsened.

"Barely," Judy muttered, grinning up at him. "But I guess an old fox can learn some new tricks."

"I thought you were complaining about me feeling old earlier?" Nick asked.

"Oh, that was just for show," Judy giggled back, stomach rumbling as the smell of pancakes drifted from the house. "Now come on, slow-poke, I'm hungry." 

~ óÓÒò ~

All things considered, the past week had been great. While at first the two had been tense and nervous at the prospect of their new relationship being met with negativity, it was quickly eased by a general sense of positivity from Judy's family – and from those who didn't support them, there was mostly silence, as the overwhelming majority that favored them far outnumbered the naysayers.

One of the biggest surprises that came to them was how happy Stu was about it. Instead Judy's expected bias against Nick and their relationship, he gave them full support and accepted Nick without hesitation.

After the first day they had together, where Judy showed Nick around the farm – which crops were where, the family lake everyone swam in on a hot day, the small sports field for the more athletic kits, a small crafts area with a kiln and other supplies for the more artistic kits, and Nick's personal favorite (which Judy saved for last): the blueberry bushes. While she did warn the fox about the state of the berries, he still insisted on picking and eating his share of what was left – and Judy didn't stop him, instead joining in for an afternoon snack.

As they ate, Nick made quiet comments on farm life. It didn't surprise Judy that he found many aspects of it – such as the sheer size, to the fact that the house itself only really held the necessary rooms and all others were their own seperate home-made buildings on the property, to the variety of crops they had. Judy just laughed and explained why everything was the way it was – crops were obvious enough that she didn't need to explain them, but the additional buildings were for saving space in the house.

When they returned from their exploration, it was dark enough for everyone to go to bed. Nick slept on the couch, and Judy slept in her room, as that night was cold enough that they didn't want to sleep on the hilltop again.

The next few days saw them helping out around the farm. Judy did her best to keep Nick from the blueberry bushes as long as she could, but she caught him slipping away for a quick few more than once, and while she had also reminded Nick that he should probably be resting his arm (as he had dislocated it during the crash, and the two had all but forgotten until recently), he refused to sit idly by while there was work to be done.

Four days after their arrival, Judy gave in and told her mother about Nick's arm. The fox was then promptly given light housework to do, and no amount of arguing could sway Bonnie's decision. And when the fox turned to Stu for support, the older buck managed to remove himself from the room with surprising speed.

Finally, little over a week into their vacation, the rabbit and fox were growing tired of seeing little just the farm, and were brainstorming ideas of what to do as they sat against the tree at the hilltop after dinner.

"You know," Nick started, gently running his claws through the fur atop Judy's head, making the bunny press against him and emit something like a purr. "I've been here in Bunnyburrow for over a week, and haven't seen the actual place. Maybe we could remedy that?"

"That could be a good idea," Judy agreed. "I could show you around town."

"Do you mean show me around the town, or show me _off_ to the town?" Nick asked with a chuckled.

"Har har," Judy replied. "I don't think everyone would take to that too kindly."

"Well why not? I'm irresistible. Even your parents agree."

"My family is one of the more... Accepting ones, now." Judy explained. "As far as I know, most other bunny families are against things like what we have."

Nick was quiet for a moment, nodding to himself. "In that case, showing me off might be a mistake," he replied.

"Right," Judy said, pressing against him. "Besides, if I do that then you might catch the eye of some other bunny, and I'm not sharing."

Nick gave a soft chuckle as he hugged Judy close. "That implies I'm willing to be shared," he pointed out. "Which, of course, I'm not. You're stuck with me, Carrots."

"Oh, how will I _ever_ survive?" Judy quipped back.

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Nick replied, not missing a beat. "You always do."

Judy just rolled her eyes in response, and pressed against Nick more, enjoying the warmth from their embrace. Nick continued to hold Judy close to him, gently stroking her ears on occasion and eliciting small purrs from the bunny as she shivered at the affectionate action. They continued this near-silent display of affection until Nick finally leaned down and placed a gentle kiss between Judy's ears, making the bunny smile and look up to him as the fox rested his head against the tree. "So, first thing tomorrow, we head into Bunnyburrow and you show me around?" he asked.

"That sounds like a plan," Judy confirmed, giving a small grin as Nick yawned. "Tired?" She asked.

"Comfy," Nick said through the yawn. "Sitting here with you on a warm night is..." The fox rolled his head, trying to find an appropriate word.

"Comforting?" Judy guessed.

"Blissful," Nick finished, looking down at her with a warm smile. "I wouldn't mind doing this every night."

"I'm sure we'll find something in the city like this," Judy said, letting out her own squeaky yawn. "A nice place to just rest for a few hours."

"I hear the roof of the ZPD has a few nice spots." Nick lifted his head to look out to the rising stars, smile never leaving his muzzle as he suppressed a chuckle at Judy's yawn.

"You know, thinking about it, it should." Judy knew that Nick was referring to the small park-like area atop the ZPD, complete with a running track, garden, and dottings of trees. She had been there once, after finishing her paperwork ahead of schedule and deciding to explore the Precinct while she had the chance. It was a nice area, clean, and had a great view of the nearby park and part of the city. She had always wanted to use it for morning runs, but somehow she always wound up without time for them –though she suspected that her constant need to get Nick going had something to do with it.

"Think we should just relax there after a long day?" he asked.

"Maybe if you're a good fox," Judy replied, looking up at Nick's expression of feigned pain.

"Me? Not a good fox? That's just absurd, Carrots," he replied with exaggerated disdain.

Judy giggled softly and shook her head. "Oh, perish the thought!"

~ óÓÒò ~

The fox jerked awake suddenly. His room was dark, the occasional blip of the monitors in the room being the only thing that cut the silence, and the monitors themselves being the only source of light. He looked to both sides of his cot and, at finding the room empty, sat up. The last few nights he had slept well, or at least as well as he could given his situation. He hadn't randomly woken up like he used to, nor had he had a dream that shocked him back to the waking world. So why was he up?

Then something from out of the room sounded – a loud bang, followed by terrified screams. A gunshot.

Gritting his teeth, the fox rolled out of his bed and dropped to the floor, groaning and holding his sore side as he pushed to the door of his hospital room. He pulled it open just enough to see outside, wincing at the light which blinded him for a moment. When his eyes adjusted, he saw half a dozen mammals walking through the hallway and calling out orders – all armed, and wearing makeshift body armor. Nurses and doctors, and a few patients, were cowering on the floor, some rambling inaudibly.

"Alright, alright, shut it!" One of the attackers, a bear holding up an RPK. When the staff kept talking, he squeezed the trigger, letting a round blast into the ceiling. The staff fell silent, letting the sound of brass hitting tile echo down the hall. "Now we're here for some help. And if you all cooperate, no one's gonna get hurt, alright? We need doctors. Medical staff. Friends are hurt, need to be patched up. Got it? So, who's gonna volunteer?"

The hallway remained quiet, no one speaking. A scowl crossed the bear's muzzle, and he lowered the gun, firing it into a wall this time. The staff let out terrified shouts, pushing away from the bear. "Listen up!" He shouted. "Either someone's going to volunteer, or we're taking everyone here and those who don't cooperate will have about five seconds to change their minds. Understand?"

Murmurs of understanding swept through the group, but still no one stood up. The bear waited for a few seconds, before scowling even more. "Timer starts now. Five... Four... Three... Two-"

"I-I will volunteer!" Someone suddenly shouted. The fox narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better view of who had called out – a female honey badger in a lab coat and scrubs, from what he could tell. The bear grumbled something and gesture for her to go stand with the rest of his group. When she didn't budge, the bear turned his weapon to aim near her, shouting "Move!"

That got the honey badger moving, and she quickly scurried to the bear's group. "Alright," he said. "That's one. We need three more kind volunteers."

There was a subtle bout of chatter between the doctors and other staff, before three more slowly rose up – an elk, an otter, and a coyote. The bear gestured for them to go to his group, before turning to the remaining staff on the floor. "That wasn't so hard, now, was it? Nah. Now we're gonna go, and let you get back to your patients. But if any of you call the police on us, we _will_ take out our frustrations on your friends. Understood?"

Again, a quiet sound of understanding swept through the group. "Good," The bear said. "Now there's one more thing. We're lookin' for a fox, red. Was transferred here because of a gunshot wound. What room is he in?" That made the fox catch his breath.

The staff looked at one another in confusion, until one of them – an elderly ewe – held up a trembling hoof. "H-He hasn't arrived yet. He was meant to earlier today, but was kept in another District on doctor's orders."

The fox let out a small breath of relief, thankful that the systems were slow today. The bear, however, didn't appear convinced. "Well what we've been told says otherwise," he growled, leaning down to be by the ewe's level.

The ewe shrank back, shaking from fear. "I-I'm sorry, sir, but we haven't received him. He wasn't in the system."

The bear snorted, standing upright. "You say he's not here. Our boss says he is. Well, there's an easy solution to this. Kitsu, Finch!"

Two mammals stepped out of the group, looking up at the bear – a silver fox, and a mangy looking hyena. "We're takin' these doctors back with us. You two search these rooms for the fox. If any security gives you trouble, go ahead and shoot, but not to kill. We don't want blood on our paws today. Fitch will wait for you. Don't take too long, got it?"

"Got it!" The two replied, grinning as they hefted their weapons and began to search each room, their friends pushing the doctors who had volunteered down the corridor. The fox rolled his eyes slightly, frustrated if not relieved by their lack of thoroughness. He continued to watch as they entered each room and either left without a sound, or after the mammal inside had been scared awake. It dawned on him that they were nearing his room, and the fox quietly shut the door, looking around for something to defend himself with. Ultimately, there was nothing – no tools, no vases from flowers, or even a pen. Cursing his situation, the fox snuck into the bathroom and leaned against the wall beside the tall trash can just inside the doorway.

After what felt like absolute ages, light streamed into the room from the open door. He held his breath, waiting as the intruder flicked on the lights and looked into the bathroom. From the little bit that was visible, the fox could see that it was the silver fox that had gone into his room. Said fox withdrew from the bathroom after a moment, turning into the main room and out of view.

As quietly as he could, the red fox stepped out of the bathroom and pushed the door to his room shut, or at least close to it. The opposing fox was sniffing the air by the bed, still facing away from him when the red fox turned the corner. He moved into a slight crouch-walk as he approached, arms raised to hook around the opponent's neck. If he was lucky, he could knock him out without alerting his friend. If he wasn't, he'd have to improvise.

The silver fox backed up suddenly, bumping against the red fox. The armed mammal let out a surprised "Oh!" as he turned around, jumping slightly to see another mammal behind him. As the silver fox fumbled to raise his gun, the red pushed forward, one paw forcing the other's weapon down while the other flew out and delivered a solid punch across his muzzle.

The silver fox gasped at the sudden pain, one paw flying up to his mouth as the other tried to bring the gun up again. The red fox, though, was not having it – instead, he pushed the gun away and grabbed the silver fox by his ears, bringing their head down and into his rising knee. The result was a pained groan, before his opponent went limp, falling to the floor in a heap.

Satisfied at that opponent being dealt with, the red fox picked up the other's gun and inspected it. It appeared to be a G17, converted to a carbine with a makeshift kit, and sized for a fox. _How convenient,_ he thought. He shouldered the weapon and tugged open the door to his room, leaning out carefully. The hyena was nowhere in sight, but there was a worried sound from where the remaining doctors and staff stayed put. Glancing to them, the fox waved his left paw down before bringing it to his lips, signaling for silence. The staff shushed one another as the fox began to creep out of his room and towards the other patient rooms, poking his head into each one he passed as he searched for the hyena.

He was part of the way into a room when a voice sounded from the hall. "Hey Kit, find 'im?"

The fox held still, letting his tail twitch as he thought up a plan. He didn't want either of them to shoot, as it would likely alert anyone nearby. But he also doubted he could trick the hyena with his voice. Settling for something in between, the red fox turned around and, careful to only put out his paw, gestured for the hyena to come by.

"Alright, I'm comin', hold on." The sound of pawsteps grew louder as the hyena came by. The fox checked the safety of his weapon before turning it around, holding it like a club with the hook-like stock at the top. When the larger canid was close enough, the fox turned from the room and swung for his legs. The hyena let out a surprised yelp and nearly fell, but managed to keep himself upright. With a slight turn, the stock hooked around the hyena's leg, and with a heavy tug the hyena tripped and fell to his back.

The fox didn't hesitate to jump onto the hyena's chest, knocking the wind from him, before hopping off and kicking the side of his muzzle, and then bringing his foot down on the side of the mammal's head. The result was the second intruder being knocked out.

Breathing heavily, the fox picked up both the pistol carbine and the hyena's weapon – a pump action shotgun – and carried them around the corner to where the staff sat. "Patch those two up, take their gear, and restrain them." he ordered. When the staff gave him confused looks, the fox rolled his eyes. "Now!" he barked, causing the group to scramble up and rush to the unconscious mammals. The only mammal that didn't rush off was the ewe, who slowly walked up to the fox. Without looking at her, he said: "Thanks, Shal."

"What're you thanking me for, Robin?" the ewe asked. "All I did was tell them you weren't in the system. Which you aren't."

"Yeah, but that gave me a chance to do this," he replied, gesturing to the two unconscious mammals who had now been dragged out into the hallway. The other doctors were working on making sure they didn't suffer any severe damage from their little tussle, before hoisting them onto medical beds and strapping them down.

"Make our jobs harder?" the ewe asked.

Robin chuckled softly. "Aren't the jokes supposed to be my job?"

"Gotta learn to share, hun," was the reply. Then, the ewe sighed. "I spoke with Chief Bogo and Chief Phanti – no one is supposed to know you're here."

"I figured," Robin sighed, looking at the floor. He looked back up when a gazelle nurse came over, setting both sets of makeshift armor down. The fox leaned down to it and began taking out the pieces of fox armor, setting it aside. "You know what's going on outside?" he asked.

"The ZPD has been dealing with a lot of armed thugs," the ewe explained. "They've been running around letting loose Night Howler gas. It got so bad that the ZPD has decided to evacuate and lock down most areas of Tundratown."

"Lock down?" Robin asked. "How?"

"Do you remember the old quarantine zone on Outback Island?"

The fox paused. "Oh. Like that."

"Yes, like that. We're by the only area they haven't blocked off yet, but even then, they're struggling to make sure none of the gang gets through. With all the crooks focused in one area, and the police still maintaining the outer wall all around, they're having a hard time."

Robin sighed, standing up as he held up the body armor the silver fox had been wearing. "We just can't get a break, can we? This is so stupid... Shal, am I fit to go out there?"

"Only if you want to come back pale as a sheet under that fur and at death's door," she replied, voice terse. "Don't think I don't know what you're here for. It's only been a few weeks."

"And my stitches are already out," Robin argued. "So long as I'm careful, I should be just fine, right?"

"Robin-" she started, but the fox interrupted her.

"It's just a repeat of Outback Island," Robin said. "And nothing about me has changed. I'll be fine. I just need to know that I can come back here if I need help."

The elderly ewe stared at Robin sternly, before letting turning her head away in defeat. "What are you planning on doing?" She asked.

"If I can find a safe path for the ZPD to take to get here, they can help. If nothing else I can see how dangerous it is outside and if we should try moving patients from the hospital."

"And if it is too dangerous for either of those?"

"Then I'll improvise." Robin said flatly, tugging the armor over his head and adjusting the straps to fit before taking it back off. He had to admit, despite being clearly homemade, it was a suitable piece of armor. Angled inward from the shoulders, with two large chest pieces and several smaller pieces over the abdoment that allowed for more mobility but no significant loss in protection. Still, he didn't want to test out how effective it was.

The ewe sighed once again. "You have no real plan, are injured, and thinking of throwing yourself into some kind of storm. You really haven't changed all that much."

"Maybe," the fox replied. "But this time I'm alone."

"And Rachel would be by your side again if not for-"

"Don't," Robin interrupted. He paused in his movements to look at the ewe, who held up her hooves defensively. "I know you mean well, but... Don't bring her up. Please. It might have been over a year ago, but the wounds are still fresh."

The two stared at one another for a moment, the ewe nodding as Robin went back to putting on the other fox's gear. "My point is," she continued, somewhat hesitant in her words. "I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Oh-ho, no. Trust me, this idea is _terrible_. There's a million and one ways I could mess up," The fox chuckled. "But we both know I'm still going to, because I refuse to sit around while the city deals with a mess I may have helped create."

The ewe stared at him for a moment, before dipping her head. "You're just as stubborn as your mother. Try to not get hurt out there? And come back at night, at least to get checked up. While I'm not happy that your side isn't fully healed, if you're still going to be galavanting around out there the least you can do is make sure the wound doesn't open back up."

"Yes, _mom_ ," Robin said sarcastically. "And I'll be sure to look both ways before crossing the street, too."

The ewe rolled her eyes and let out a small laugh. "Ass," she said. "I'll see if I can get your belongings, as I imagine you'll want those."

"I'd appreciate it." The fox offered a sincere grin back."They might be a little helpful," Robin admitted, smiling as the ewe shook her head and walked away. He turned to see the rest of the hospital staff milling around idly, appearing uncomfortable. "How much of our conversation did you all overhear?" Robin asked the group. There was a chorus of "some of it" that met him, making the fox roll his eyes. "Alright then, listen up. Try and keep this area locked down, only let other staff through. Any of you know how to use a gun?"

The group looked at one another, mumbling and asking one another. Finally, a cheetah doctor stepped forward. "My dad used to be in the military, he showed me a little about them."

"Great, come here then. You get the crash course." Robin waved the cheetah over, walking to the gear on the floor and picking up the shotgun. It had a wooden stock and pump with a long barrel, the rest being a black metal. If he were to guess, the fox would say it was a Ramington 870. Robin lifted it up, ensuring the safety was on before pumping it several times until nothing ejected. Then, finally checking it one more time, he turned the weapon around and offered it to the cheetah. "Take it," he said.

"U-Uh," the cheetah mumbled, hesitating. "A-Aren't they illegal?"

Robin stared at the nurse with growing frustration. "What's your name?"

"Jared," the nurse replied.

"Jared. Nice name. Let me ask you something, Jared. You want to risk dying?" Robin asked, nodding to himself as the feline shook his head. "No one's even saying you'll need to use this thing. But you need to know how, just in case. Now come on, take it. It isn't going to bite you."

With a nervous gulp, the cheetah took the shotgun from Robin. It looked a little small in the mammal's paws, but it would do. "Now listen, that little switch by the trigger is the safety. If it's red, it'll shoot. If it isn't, it won't." Robin watched as the cheetah inspected the area by the trigger, giving a small nod as he switched it on and off several times.

"Between shots you'll need to pump it. You saw me do it earlier, try it." Robin nodded as the cheetah pumped the weapon a few times, the feline's tail lashing nervously.

"Great. Now look, it shoots these-" Robin leaned down to pick up one of the shells on the floor. The red plastic felt oddly cold in his paw as he held it up. "You put this in that slot in the bottom, pump it, and it's ready to fire. It shouldn't jam but if it does, just pump it again. To aim just line up the little dot on the sight at the end of the barrel with the middle of the ring at the back sight. Try to aim for a place like the leg or arm – and never point this at someone else unless you're going to shoot. You get all that?"

"Uh... Yeah, yeah I think I got all of it." The cheetah nodded, staring at the weapon in his paws. "How do you know so much about these things? You're not a cop, right?"

"I'm someone who survived hell," Robin replied cryptically. He turned as Shali, the ewe, came around the hallway with a large backpack over her shoulder. The fox walked over and met her halfway, taking the backpack as she let out a sigh of thanks, rubbing her shoulder.

"I miss anything important?" Shali asked.

"Just me giving the cheetah a crash course on guns," Robin replied. "Speaking of which... " he turned and pointed at the cheetah. "You're now security for this group. Any other armed mammals come through, it's up to you to keep them safe. Hide, shoot, whatever, just keep them safe."

The cheetah gripped the gun more nervously, nodding again. Shali set her hooves on her hips as Robin set down his backpack, opening it and digging around. "You know the fox and hyena have someone waiting on them, right?"

"I know," Robin said. "Which is the first thing I'm going to take care of."

"And how do you propose doing that?"

Robin looked up, grinning a bit. "Get me some ink. If I can their ride into thinking I need help and lure him here, we can knock him out and add him to the rest."

"Great plan," the ewe said, sarcasm not hidden in her voice. "And what about when none of them show back up at wherever they're hiding?"

"That's the magical part. If we get one of them to tell me where that place is, we can get the ZPD involved." Robin turned back to his backpack, taking out his familiar black ensemble.

"But for that, I need some help," he continued, taking out his phone. He scrolled through the contacts until he came across the number he needed. Pressing the dial button, he held the device up to his ear and waited for the inevitably hostile answer.

The phone rang for several moments, and when the fox was about to give up, he finally got an answer. "Who are you and how did you get this number?"

Robin grinned. "Sabine, _mon'amie_ , it's the bird."

There was a brief bout of silence on the other end, before a heavy sigh. "I always hoped you wouldn't call to collect."

"Yes, well, some things have come up and I need a favor. You're aware of what's happening in Tundratown, right?"

" _Pensez-vous que je suis stupide?_ Of course I know what's happening!" The skunk hissed over. "Why?"

"Well, do you remember the care package I had you set aside for me?" Robin asked, sitting on the floor and propping himself against the wall.

"Get to the point, _douleur dans mon cul!_ "

"There's no need for that," Robin chided calmly. "But fine. I need that care package delivered to the Tundratown General Hospital."

"Fine. It'll be there by dawn. Anything else?" Sabine sighed.

"No. One more small favor and we're even." Robin ran a paw through the fur atop his head. "Alright?"

"If you hadn't saved my Selina-" the skunk started, the fox cutting her off.

"You'd probably have my tail on a silver platter, I know. Don't think I like calling you for this."

" _Connard_." Sabine muttered. "It'll be there by dawn."

"Thank you." With that, he ended the call.


End file.
